Health Highlight Report for Valencia County
Food Insecurity: Percentage in Food Insecure Households, 2017
Valencia County 13.4%95% Confidence Interval DNADescription of the Confidence IntervalThe confidence interval indicates the range of probable true values for the level of risk in the community.
A value of "DNA" (Data Not Available) will appear if the confidence interval was not published with the IBIS indicator data for this measure.Statistical Stability DNADescription of Statistical Stability- Stable = This count or rate is relatively stable and should provide a good estimate of your community risk.
- Unstable = This count or rate is statistically unstable (RSE >0.30), and may fluctuate widely due to random variation (chance).
- Very Unstable = This count or rate is extremely unstable (RSE >0.50). This value should not be used to represent your population risk. You should combine years or otherwise increase the population denominator in this calculation.
- DNA = Data Not Available. The required community value and/or confidence interval was not available for this measure.
New Mexico 15.5%U.S. 12.5%DNA=Data not available.Valencia County Compared to State
Description of Dashboard GaugeDescription of the Dashboard Gauge
This "dashboard" type graphic is based on the community data on the right. It compares the community value on this indicator to the state overall value.- Excellent = The community's value on this indicator is BETTER than the state value, and the difference IS statistically significant.
- Watch = The community's value is BETTER than state value, but the difference IS NOT statistically significant.
- Improvement Needed = The community's value on this indicator is WORSE than the state value, but the difference IS NOT statistically significant.
- Reason for Concern = The community's value on this indicator is WORSE than the state value, and the difference IS statistically significant.
The community value is considered statistically significantly different from the state value if the state value is outside the range of the community's 95% confidence interval. If the community's data or 95% confidence interval information is not available, a blank gauge image will be displayed with the message, "missing information."NOTE: The labels used on the gauge graphic are meant to describe the community's status in plain language. The placement of the gauge needle is based solely on the statistical difference between the community and state values. When selecting priority health issues to work on, a community should take into account additional factors such as how much improvement could be made, the U.S. value, the statistical stability of the community number, the severity of the health condition, and whether the difference is clinically significant.
Why Is This Important?
Inconsistent access to adequate amounts of nutritious food can have a negative impact on the health of individuals of all ages. The USDA estimates that as of 2017, 326,000 people, including over 118,000 children, in New Mexico are food insecure. That means 1 in 6 individuals (15.5%) and 1 in 4 children (24%) live in homes without consistent access to adequate to adequate food for everyone to live healthy, active lives. In the US, adults in food insecure households are much more likely than food secure adults to have hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic health problems. Although food insecurity is harmful to any individual, it can be particularly devastating among children because they are more vulnerable to potential long-term consequences for their future physical and mental health and academic achievement.How Are We Doing?
The USDA estimates that as of 2017, 326,000 people, including over 118,000 children, in New Mexico are food insecure. That means 1 in 6 individuals (15.5%) and 1 in 4 children (24%) live in homes without consistent access to adequate food. McKinley, Luna, and Cibola Counties had the highest percentages of food insecurity for all persons and for children.What Is Being Done?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) play a critical role in helping low-income families break out of the cycle of hunger and diet-related disease. Both programs augment households' food budgets, allowing them to purchase more healthful foods, and provide nutrition education to participants.Data Sources
U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, modeled and presented in the Feeding America, Map the Meal Gap Report. Downloaded from http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america. New Mexico Population Estimates: University of New Mexico, Geospatial and Population Studies (GPS) Program, http://gps.unm.edu/.Measure Description for Food Insecurity
Definition: Food insecurity refers to USDA's measure of lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members and limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods.
Food insecure households are not necessarily food insecure all the time. Food insecurity may reflect a household's need to make trade-offs between important basic needs, such as housing or medical bills, and purchasing nutritionally adequate foods.
Numerator: The number of persons living in food-insecure households.
Denominator: The number of persons in the population.
